Brigadoon
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Movie Reviews of Brigadoon
Movie Review: Great concept & great stars don't QUITE create a great film
Summary: 4 Stars
My favorite poster for the 1954 MGM production of the Lerner and Loewe musical Brigadoon is a bright and vivid one from it's first release in Germany, which is actually ironically appropriate; the 1947 Broadway production that started the ball rolling was in fact based on an original German tale, about a mythical village that fell under a curse and would only reappear once a century. In 1947, setting such a story in the recently-defeated Germany was deemed inappropriate, and so the highlands of Scotland were substituted, and this setting change was maintained for the film.
The production wasn't one of MGM's most expensive or careful, despite the marquee names of Gene Kelly as star/choreographer, the Lerner/Loewe music and Loewe screenpaly, Athur Freed as producer and Vincente Minnelli as director. Originally supposed to be shot in Scotland, it ended up done entirely on sets due to weather and money concerns, and it was shot in the cheaper and less lush Anscocolor process instead of Technicolor. With all that in mind though, it's still managed to become something of a classic - perhaps not considered one of the very top musicals of the 50s, but certainly well enough remembered.
I suppose a lot of it has to do with the fairytale wish-fulfillment storyline: a couple of Americans, dreamer Tommy Albright (Kelly) and cynical atheist Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson) stumble on the village of Brigadoon on its sole day of existence in a century, and Albright immediately falls in love with Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse), older sister of the new bride Jean and the one person in the town willing to talk to the two strangers at first. It's a Hollywood musical, and we know that Tommy and Fiona will fall in love, and that even when it seems they must separate, somehow, something - some movie or mystical magic - will bring them back together.
The film itself has plenty of problems; apart from the sets (which I thought were kind of charming) and the muted, somewhat earthy colors (which aren't terrible, but certainly make me long for Technicolor) it just doesn't seem to have the energy or sense of mystery that such a story demands. Kelly's singing and dancing are fine, he and Charisse look good together, but something's missing...I think in part it's that everything's too easy. We have one malcontent who wants to leave the village, which would destroy the magic spell and keep it sleeping forever - but neither he nor the real ramifications of the idea are developed at all. It's just "hey, Tommy Albright, stay in this magical highland village forever and wake up every day a hundred years in the future, won't that be grand?". It's not that it's a bad idea - it's just that everything really has to synch up to make it work, and it doesn't - quite.
But the music is great (especially "Almost Like Being in Love"), Kelly's dances with Charisse are nice, and Van Johnson is really terrific as the cynical buddy, and one thing I really loved is that the film doesn't demonize him - doesn't even say that he makes the wrong choice by being resistant to Brigadoon's charms. He's just got a different notion of life than Kelly's character, and that's fine. If the ending, and the film as a whole, are pretty predictable, even a bit trite, well I guess I didn't care. Count me in as one of those who wants to be the starry-eyed Tommy - even if in reality I can't let go of the cynicism of Jeff.
Movie Review: Imperfect Enchantment....
Summary: 4 Stars
By most accounts, this colorful 1954 feature was not up to the standard of the Broadway stage musical.But I found it enjoyable, albeit somewhat dated.
We hear the title song as we see the sunlight slowly spreading over the quaint Scottish village.
The day finds the villagers enjoying the fair, and the home of one Andrew Campbell(Albert Sharpe)bustling with activity as the widower's flock of daughters help prepare young Jean Campbell(Virginia Bosler) for her wedding to Charlie Dalrymple (Jimmy Thompson).
Jean's oldest sister, Fiona (the willowy and dramatic Cyd Charisse) dreams of finding her own sweetheart, as we learn from the sisters' pretty and comical number, "Waitin' for my Dearie" (In which Charisse is dubbed by Carol Richards).
As fate would have it, two wealthy hunters from America have stumbled upon Brigadoon. These include the kind, amiable, and receptive Tommy Albright(Gene Kelly), and his arrogant and smug friend, Jeff Douglas(Van Johnson) who are baffled because Brigadoon was not on a map.
The locals soon engage with the strangely-dressed newcomers and Meg Brockie(Dody Heath)- whose character is more fully developed onstage than onscreen-- tries to get a little too friendly with a reluctant Jeff.
But soon, Tommy and Fiona meet and are soon wandrin' through the heather on the hill...
In due time, Mr. Lundie( Barry Jones), the elder of the town, explains the mystery of Brigadoon to the American guests--how their minister made a deal with the Powers That Be to separate himself from the village permanently(in response to threats by witches), on the stipulation that the 18th century village's way of life would be preserved by allowing the town to come to life for just one day out of each subsequent century.
But the other part of the bargain is that the residents of the village can never leave Brigadoon. This causes much anguish for Jean Campbell's spurned suitor, Harry Beaton(Hugh Laing), who must suffer seeing his former sweetheart begin a new life with someone else, while he is unable to begin a new life of his own by leaving town to attend the University of Edinburgh.
After a single day of romancing Fiona and cavorting with the villagers, Tommy finds himself grieved by the imperfection of this enchantment as well.
He and Jeff return to their chaotic, upscale lives in New York, where we meet Tommy original intended, Jane Ashton (Elaine Stewart) about whom a changed Tommy has to make a decison....
In the end this is a story that will make a viewer both grateful for the passage of time, and yet also that it may stand still.
Movie Review: Kelly and Charisse Dance Up Hill and Down Dale
Summary: 4 Stars
"Brigadoon," (1954), a fantasy/musical/romance, was another triumph for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's busy music division, under the stewardship of Arthur Freed. It was based on the 1947 Broadway hit of the same name, the first hit, and second collaboration of those devoted anglophile partners Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe - see "Camelot" and "My Fair Lady." The film was directed by Vincente Minelli, in his first venture into Cinemascope.
The plot, of course, is somewhat reminiscent of "Shangri-La," just moved to the United Kingdom. It's pretty well-known: two vacationing New Yorkers, Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly), and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson) are grouse-shooting in Scotland when they stumble into Brigadoon, a town not on any map. That's because, as the result of a previous enchantment, it's disappeared into the Scottish mist, to reappear for only one day every hundred years. So Albright, the Kelly character, of course meets a girl Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse.) Kelly, as it happens, was kind of bemused to find himself starring in this movie. He hadn't starred in it on Broadway, but the studio had decided to change the emphasis of the entertainment from singing to dancing. Thus Kelly was signed. He had made his Broadway debut, and become a star in "Pal Joey," but had lost that part to Frank Sinatra, when Columbia, the studio that filmed that little item, decided to shift the emphasis there to singing, rather than dancing. However, Kelly had an acceptable voice. Cyd Charisse is one of the great dancers, but she couldn't sing: she's dubbed by Carole Richards in "Almost like Being in Love," biggest hit of the stage and screen versions. Johnson plays his usual, cynical best bud to the star.
Kelly and Minelli were known to be disappointed that budget problems -- and the fickle Scottish weather, another way of saying possible budget problems-- prevented them from filming on location in Scotland, as had been planned. Instead, they filmed before studio sets, that are, however, quite detailed, and fantastical in feeling: they actually add to the movie's ambiance. The Scots accents are wavering, however; they might have turned out better on location. No matter, Kelly and Charisse memorably dance up hill and down dale in "Heather on the Hill," and few viewers will really care whether the landscape is actual, or painted. As for "Go Home to Bonnie Jean," it's a rousing, all-singing, all-dancing, grand spectacle of the kind that MGM made its name on. The studio might not have spent its bottom dollar on this film, but when Kelly and Charisse dance, who cares?
Movie Review: Entertaining
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the entertaining musical set in Scotland. The plot is pretty basic- a young American and his alcoholic friend want to go hiking in the highlands, and encounter a magic town which only appears once a year. Tommy (the hero) falls for a villager, and they spend time courting. The villager's sister is going to be married, and the two Americans are invited. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes, and a young scorned suitor (Harry Beaton), decides to leave the village which would break the miracle which protects the village and curse everyone.
I have long liked this film, although, there are several musical numbers that I could do with out as they are protracted and overly sentimental. I think the costuming is beautiful, as are the voices of the singers. As with most musicals... The plot isn't terribly deep... Don't expect an explanation as why people can emigrate to Brigadoon (for instance) and yet disatisfied people may never leave, or why a village of supposedly God-fearing people are so afraid of Witches. It seems the easy answer to their problems would be to run the witches out of town. What reason to make the entire village disappear?
I've always sympathized with Harry Beacham as the scorned 'other man.' It seems cruel that he must be trapped in Brigadoon, against his will and forced to watch his love marry.
4 stars. Beautiul singing, excellent sets, nice acting... But not particularly deep.
Movie Review: "Anything is possible when you love someone. Even miracles."
Summary: 4 Stars
The stagey Brigadoon isn't short of flaws (not least collecting some of the worst Scottish accents in movie history), but it's so beautifully staged that it carries the day, gaping plot holes and all. The use of CinemaScope is superb and the backlot shooting somehow seems perfectly appropriate for this piece of Highland whimsy and post-war wishful thinking. Strange to think that the film's unexpected failure heralded the beginning of the end of the MGM musical (and led to The Heather in the Hills among other numbers being cut in many overseas territories so they could dump the film in a double-bill!).
The special edition DVD boasts a good widescreen transfer and a fine selection of extras, including deleted numbers Come To Me, Bend To Me, From This Day On and Sword Dance and an audio-only outtake of There But For You Go I as well as the original theatrical trailer, but sadly therecording sessions that were included as an audio extra on the old MGM/UA laserdisc have not been included.